Is Swerve Sweetener Better For You Than Sugar?

When looking for a sugar replacement, Swerve sweetener is one of the many options you'll find in the grocery aisle. But is it really better for you than sugar, or are there hidden ingredients that make this a substitute to be skipped?

Swerve is actually one of the better choices when it comes to alternative sweeteners. That's because it's made from natural ingredients, and is great for baking and cooking, according to Healthline. Those ingredients are erythritol, oligosaccharides, and natural flavors, and they prevent Swerve from having any bitter aftertaste like some artificial sweeteners do.

Erythritol is found in grapes, melons, and other foods, but the manufacturers of Swerve produce it by fermenting the glucose from corn (according to their website). Oligosaccharides, which are a kind of prebiotic fiber, come from mixing enzymes with starchy root vegetables, and the natural flavors are taken from citrus.

Swerve tastes, measures, and caramelizes like sugar so it is good for cooking. It does not affect blood sugar and is a safe alternative for those following a low-carb or keto diet.

The digestive tract can't process the ingredients in Swerve so they pass right through. Because of this, it has zero calories. By comparison, a teaspoon of sugar contains 16 calories (according to Verywellfit) along with 4 grams of carbohydrates, and 4 grams of sugars. Too much sugar has been linked to health problems like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke (via Harvard Health Publishing).

Some people may be concerned about digestive distress caused by the erythritol in Swerve, as sugar alcohols are known to cause stomach upset. The good news is, among sugar alcohols, erythritol has the least effect on the colon, since about 90 percent of it is absorbed into your bloodstream. According to WebMD, a good guideline to follow is no more than 1 gram of erythritol daily for every kilogram of your body weight. If you weigh 150 pounds you should be able to consume about 68 grams of erythritol, or 13 teaspoons, without issue.

Swerve is a good alternative to sugar that will save you calories and carbohydrates and mixes well into cooking. As with all things, just use it in moderation.